“Ontario’s much anticipated Long-Term Energy Plan turns out to be not worth waiting for as it offers nothing new for the Northwest,” said Mayor Wendy Landry, President of the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association. “All it does is regurgitate plans that are already in place but fails to outline the future for the Atikokan and Thunder Bay Generating Stations and does not speak to the outstanding need for transmission upgrades to Greenstone and the First Nation communities in that area,” added Landry.

The LTEP references the long planned east-west tie, the bulk transmission line upgrading the service from Thunder Bay through to Kenora and the upgrades to the service to Ear Falls and Pickle Lake.

No mention to renewing the fuel contracts

“It is incredible that there is no mention to renewing the fuel contracts for the Atikokan & Thunder Bay Generation Stations even though the output will be required to meet the needs of the Northwest, and that Minister Thibeault himself has publicly indicated that “Atikokan and Thunder Bay generating stations will play a different role but a key role, going forward,” said Landry. “The Minister is on the record of telling the Atikokan Progress that the 20-year long term plan will be out soon, and the Atikokan Generating Station will be there.”

“This 20-year plan is more of an election document with a lot of feel good material, and a lot of ‘we will study’ with very little actual plans that are implemental, particularly here in the Northwest” said Landry.

“Once again, on the energy file, the Government of Ontario has failed the North which is unfortunate given we believed that this Minister really understood the realities of the energy needs for the region,” she concluded.